Florida – A Florida man was ordered to serve 25 years to life behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder in connection with his girIfriend’s death two years ago. The defendant, later identified as 50-year-old Ricard, pleaded guilty in December last year and was formally sentenced this week, court records say. Prosecutors said the defendant killed the 46-year-old woman, AIIison, following an argument at their home. The woman, who is the mother of his child, died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the back. 

The defendant claimed self-defense and told investigators that the victim reportedly shoved him and knocked him to the ground. He then grabbed his firearm and wanted to ‘put her down’ by shooting her in the leg only to shoot her multiple times in the back, killing her. The defendant also confessed that the woman was walking away from him when he fired the shots. 

The investigation process began in April 2023 after the 911 caller told the dispatcher that they needed medical assistance at the location. The responding officers discovered that the woman suffered multiple gunshot wounds and rushed her to the hospital where doctors pronounced her dead. 

During the investigation process, authorities made contact with the defendant’s parent, who reportedly told them that he received a message from his son after he reportedly shot his girIfriend to death. In the messages, the defendant reportedly wrote that the woman was attacking him and he had to fire shots. The man also said that ‘he had to put her down and self defense was the only choice he had’.

During an interview with investigators, the defendant reportedly said that his girIfriend became intoxicated before she got into an argument with him. According to him, the victim reportedly attacked him and knocked him to the ground. He then grabbed a gun and wanted to put her down by shooting her in the leg so she could ‘calm down’. He also said that he ‘accidentally aimed high when he fired multiple shots at her. The man also confessed that the woman was walking away from him when he shot her and all shots ended in the woman’s back.